The pediatric dentist in Monsey, New York, is your partner in ensuring your child’s oral health. As a parent, you’d want to witness crucial moments like their dental visits. From a dentist’s standpoint, is your presence vital, or will it be detrimental?
Your Company Is Crucial
Your company is crucial for the first few visits to the pediatric dentist as your child copes with nervousness at meeting their dental expert. However, it’s also important to let kids gradually know and trust their dentist, who should always take center stage.
As the young patient becomes older, you should also accompany them to the dental chair less and less. Instead, stay in the waiting room and consult with the dentist after the session.
Preparing For Your Child’s Dental Visits
Your goal should be to make your child independent enough to sit on the dental chair without you nearby. This requires adequate mental preparation before every visit.
Sit Down for a Talk
A new experience can make a toddler apprehensive because they don’t know anything about what might happen. Their only source of information is you, so it falls on you to describe a dental visit and set their expectations. Keep your answers short, simple and truthful. Try to avoid the scary stuff as much as you can, and don’t discuss your own fears with your kids.
Watch Out For Signs of Dental Anxiety
Both children and adults are prone to dental anxiety. It’s normal for a child to feel uneasy just before the appointment. However, many kids quickly overcome these apprehensions and finish the scheduled visit. Overly anxious individuals, however, may exhibit the following symptoms on the day of the consultation:
- Aggression
- Profuse sweating
- Panic attacks
- Irrational fear
These people, whether children or adults, could end up asking to reschedule the session with the dentist.
Never Coerce
Coercing a child means using fear or false promises to convince them to comply with your wishes. For example, you should not assure an older child that a dental appointment is pain-free and 100% comfortable. There will be some discomfort, but it is often within your child’s tolerance levels. It’s best to use positive reinforcement than coercion before, during, and after every visit to the dentist’s clinic.
When Is the Right Time For the First Dental Visit?
A dentist’s skill becomes necessary when your child’s first tooth erupts. The day varies with each kid, but the American Dental Association advises parents to expect a tooth to come out as early as 6 months old. Your little one’s first dental visit may even be earlier if you notice any unusual development in their mouth.
Like all other medical professions, pediatric dentistry in Monsey, New York, is only effective at treating oral problems in children if they are detected early. This means visiting the dentist every 6 months, especially between the ages of 6 and 12, when permanent teeth start replacing baby teeth. The actual frequency, however, depends on the pediatric dentist.
Are You Looking for the Best Pediatric Dentist in Monsey, New York?
Your children are in good hands with the most reliable pediatric dentist in town. Make sure to contact us and schedule your next appointment. We look forward to seeing you.